House to Vote on Articles of Impeachment

Here's what that means.

Rep. Al Green plans to force a vote in the House on December 6 to impeach President Donald Trump.

In a tweet on Tuesday, December 5, Green, a Democrat from Texas, announced he had released articles of impeachment against Trump, on which the House will vote on Wednesday. The resolution accuses Trump of “high misdemeanor,” worthy of removal from office.

According to CNBC, Green said Trump is "unmindful of the high duties of his high office and the dignity and properties thereof."

“For too long, we have allowed our civility to prevent us from confronting the invidious incivility of President Donald J. Trump," he said.

The articles specifically accuse Trump of “associating the majesty and dignity of the presidency with causes rooted in white supremacy, bigotry, racism, anti-Semitism, white nationalism, or Neo-Nazism.” The resolution cites the comments made after the white nationalist marches in Charlottesville, Virginia, in August, after which Trump said the marchers on both sides were "very fine people." The articles also mention Trump's comments regarding NFL protests during the National Anthem, and the anti-Muslim videos he retweeted on November 29.

"Therefore, Donald John Trump by causing such harm to the society of the United States is unfit to be President and warrants impeachment, trial, and removal
from office," the resolution concludes.

Green previously called for Trump's impeachment in May. He was the first member of Congress to do so. Since then, others, including Rep. Steve Cohen, have also done so.

CNBC reports the impeachment vote, which Green indicated will take place between 9 and 10 a.m. CST, needs a simple majority to clear the House, which is reportedly unlikely. Some, according to CNBC, worry that an impeachment vote prior to the close of the investigation into the Trump campaign's alleged collusion with Russia, is premature and may undermine future efforts to oust Trump from office. Should the resolution pass the House, it would move onto the Senate, where it would need a two-thirds majority vote. Impeaching a president does not automatically mean they will be removed from office.